How to write a travel blog (that doesn't suck)

Lots of career breakers write a blog, for one or more of these reasons:

Because they enjoy writing

To keep in touch with the folks back home

To show off!

Because of ambitions to become a travel writer or journalist

Unfortunately, a lot of travel blogs suck. How to make sure yours doesn't? By following these simple tips:

Don't be boring. This sounds so obvious, yet it's something so easy to forget. You always need to be aware of what people want to hear about, as opposed to what you want to tell them.

Don't go on about yourself all the time. This seems an odd bit of advice when it's your blog, but people are going to be more interested in the things you see and the people you meet, rather than all the stuff you're doing.

Try not to whinge. Things go wrong when you travel. It's a major thing for you if you lose your shoes, but it's not that interesting to anyone else, unless you lost them in a swamp while fending off a crocodile.

Equally, try not to be too smug. Not everyone can do what you're doing, so going on about how great everything is all the time can be quite annoying.

Visualise the people who are reading your blog. This might be specific friends and family, or it might be a person you are imagining. This will help you make a connection through your writing.

Talk normally. Your blog will have a much better flow, and be more engaging, if you write how you talk.

Make an effort with spelling and grammar – it makes it much easier for people to read. If you struggle, spellchecks can be really helpful – or if you've got a willing and trustworthy editor, give them access to your blog to make corrections.

Try to vary the type of blog posts you do. For example, one entry might be 'A typical day volunteering in Vietnam', and another might be '10 things I've learnt about travelling'.

It's fine to write about your own specific interests (the subtle differences in southern hemisphere grasses, for example, or what you had for dinner) but remember that not all your readers will be into the same things (unless your blog is clearly about that one topic rather than just a general travel blog).

Don't worry too much if you get the odd bit of criticism. If it's constructive, it's a chance to improve your blog. If it's not, you can ignore it – some people will criticise anything.

Do you have a travel blog? Chuck us a link to it in the comments below, or if you want to swap posts, email info@thecareerbreaksite.com.